The mysterious case of the ‘Mad Gasser of Mattoon’

Posted: Nov 2, 2021 / 06:49 PM CDT / Updated: Nov 2, 2021 / 06:49 PM CDT

Civilians from various states, being instructed in various angles of defense at the War Department’s class at Texas A & M, March 19, spent several minutes in this gas chamber testing their masks against various types of war gasses. On leaving they head up wind to get away from the gas. Later they re-entered and after observing tear gas removed their masks in the chamber to get its full benefit. (AP Photo)

Dustin Waters is a writer whose stories feature quirky stories from history and have appeared in Washington Post, Vulture, and more. He joins Steve Bertrand on Chicago’s Afternoon News to talk about the case of the ‘Mad Gasser of Mattoon,’ a story that ran in the Washington Post, that focuses on World War II era Mattoon, IL and a series of random attacks with an unknown chemical.